Cabage rolls /Toltott kapusta

This is my first blog, and I am starting with some food receipies which brought from Europe and after many years leaving in Canada still cooking same style. The Cabage rolls is a traditional food and in some parts of country sides in Romania this food is not only served for the holidays but every other weekend.
I have try to eat these cabage rolls in Canada but they are far from the original recipe or the good taste of traditional country side cabage rolls. I am listing below the recipe as I use to cook in my kitchen and I encourage you to try this recipe and let me know if you like it, I am sure nobody will be disapointed, it is really good tasty stuff.

Cabbage rolls with Sour Cabage and smoke meat


Ingredients
1 whole head Sour Cabbage
Stuffing;
500g Ground pork or 50/50 mix with beef
200 g rinsed raw rice
50 g smoke sausage - Csabai (pork mild) minced
5-6 slices of smoked beacon with or without meat
3 white onions chopped

1 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 teaspoon Red Paprika
1 teaspoon Salt or as desired
1 teaspoon oregano
1 spoon of lard or oil

1spoon of tomate sauce
1 cup sour cream

Sauce:
1 800ml can crushed or tomatoes
1/4 cup beef broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon "Delikat" spice if available

Prepare the cabage - cut out core of the cabage and tear off the leaves, cut the thick stem from each leaf, separating the larger leaves
into two or three pieces. The smaller leaves can be left whole but, depending on the thickness of the centre rib, you may want to pare it
down.

Prepare the stuffing - In a skillet, heat the lard and saute the onions with salt, until the onions are lightly colored then add the ground pork and veal and stirr quicly untill meat get slightly brown colored then add Black Pepper, Red Paprika, oregano and remove from heat.

Combine the above with the raw rice and mix well, taste and add more salt or peper if needed. Lay cabbage leaf out flat and top with a 3 Tbsp of meat mixture. Roll cabbage around mixture to make what looks like a small pillow.Spread the sauerkraut on the bottom of a 5-quart casserole ( if choose oven method cooking select oven resistant casserole) and arrange the cabbage rolls on top of it and create layers. Place roll in casserole dish with tucked side down.
Cover cabbage rolls with slices of smoked beacon and sauerkraut and pour some of the sauce over them , there are two methods of cooking either boiling or baking.

Boiling Method - Bring the liquid to a boil on low heat, then cover the pan tightly and cook the stuffed cabbage over low heat for 1 hour or untill the meat is fully cooked.

Baking Method Bake in a 350 degree oven for about for 1 to 1.5 hours, depending on the size of the dish or until meat is fully cooked.

Lift the sauerkraut onto a serving platter with a slotted spoon. Arrange the cabbage rolls and bacon slices on the sauerkraut . Serve the rest of the sauce in a sauceboat. Pour the sauce combination over the sauerkraut. If the sauce looks like it's getting low and it might burn, add a little more water, just enough toBake in a 350 degree oven for about for 1 to 1.5 hours, depending on the size of the dish or until meat is fully cooked.

Bon Apetit